Sailboat missing since October found adrift, boater missing

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Coast Guard has suspended the search for missing boater Greg Stephanoff after locating his vessel, the sailboat C: Drive, adrift at sea Friday some 1400 miles from Oahu.

"Our boarding team found the vessel in good condition, so there are no signs of anything that could have happened on board the vessel that could've given us any indication he got into any trouble" Lt. Craig Dente of the Coast Guard told Hawaii News Now.

"This is a very unique case" he added.

The reason for that comment was because there were no signs of intrusion of foul play on the vessel, but also because the Coast Guard never received a distress signal from the vessel.

Stephanoff was last seen leaving the Ala Wai boat harbor on October 2nd. Two days later, a concerned friend contacted the Coast Guard and a search began.

It was suspended on October 15th when the vessel could not be located.

However, when it was spotted in November, the case was temporarily re-opened.

Stephanoff is divorced, with two adult sons from his marriage. Hawaii News Now spoke to his ex-wife today, who lives in California. She said, while the two have gone their separate ways, the relationship he had with his sons has always remained positive.

Her husband said the sons are planning to come to Hawaii sometime in the near future, but haven't planned an exact date.